To the left, on looking at it—­or rather behind the left wing is a large, well-trimmed flower-garden, terminating in walks, and a carriage way.  Just in front of this garden, before a large bason of water, and fixed upon a sort of parapet wall—­is a very pleasing, colossal group of two female statues—­Pomona and Flora, as I conceive—­sculptured by Dannecker.  Their forms are made to intertwine very gracefully; and they are cut in a coarse, but hard and pleasingly-tinted, stone.  For out-of-door figures, they are much superior to the generality of unmeaning allegorical marble statues in the gardens of the Thuilleries.

The interior of the palace has portions, which may be said to verify what we have read, in boyish days, of the wonder-working powers of the lamp of Aladdin.  Here are porphyry and granite, and rosewood, and satin-wood, porcelaine, and or-molu ornaments, in all their varieties of unsullied splendor.  A magnificent vestibule, and marble staircase; a concert room; an assembly-room; and chamber of audience:  each particularly brilliant and appropriate; while, in the latter, you observe a throne, or chair of state, of antique form, but entirely covered with curious gilt carvings—­rich, without being gaudy—­and striking without being misplaced.  You pass on—­room after room—­from the ceilings of which, lustres of increasing brilliance depend; but are not disposed to make any halt till you enter a small apartment with a cupola roof—­within a niche of which stands the small statue of Cupid; with his head inclined, and one hand raised to feel the supposed-blunted point of a dart which he holds in the other.  This is called the Cupid-Room, out of compliment to DANNECKER the sculptor of the figure, who is much patronised by the Queen.  A statue or two by Canova, with a tolerable portion of Gobeleine tapestry, form the principal remaining moveable pieces of furniture.  A minuter description may not be necessary:  the interiors of all palaces being pretty much alike—­if we put pictures and statues out of the question.

From the Palace, I must now conduct you to the “circle” or Drawing Room—­which I attended.  Mr. Hamilton was so obliging as to convey me thither.  The King paid his respects personally to each lady, and was followed by the Queen.  The same order was observed with the circle of gentlemen.  His Majesty was dressed in what seemed to be an English uniform, and wore the star of the Order of the Bath.  His figure is perhaps under the middle size, but compact, well formed, and having a gentlemanly deportment.  The Queen was, questionless, the most interesting female in the circle.  To an Englishman, her long and popular residence in England, rendered her doubly an object of attraction.  She was superbly dressed, and yet the whole had a simple, lady-like, appearance.  She wore a magnificent tiara of diamonds, and large circular diamond ear rings:  but it was her necklace, composed of the largest and choicest of the same kind